Black theater is a form of theater that is vital to the country and world in continuing the discussion of equality and the importance of continued and strengthened diversity. Black theater has been around since the 1700's but has only really gained in strength in the past 100 years or so. For awhile black theater was just a copy of white theater but this has now changed. "....We have to acknowledge not only that our civilization has done practically nothing to help the Negro create his art but that our unjust oppression has been powerless to prevent the black man from realizing in a rich measure the expression of his own rare gifts." We see many different styles of theater within this culture. We have humor, family values, abstract theater, dancing, musicals etc. Black theater touches on important topics of family values, sexuality, diversity, racism, race, gender, etc. It is an important part of theater and and important part of our identity as a nation.